Feeding means for duplicating machines



Dec. 1, 1936.. J. D. EDMUNDS 2,062,643v v FEEDING MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES FiledJuly 1, 1935 Patented Dec. 1, 1936,

UNITED STATES FEEDING MEANS FOR DUPLICATING' MACHINES John Durban Edmun'ds, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignor to Edward Buschman, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 1, 1935, Serial No. 29.284 p 4 Claims. (01. 271-41) This invention relates to improvements in feed ing means for duplicating machines and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended 5 claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified paper feed for a duplicating machine and which feed will be positive and efiicient in operation for its intended use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paper feed for this purpose which includes a sheet gripping roller operating to pull the topmost sheet from a stack toward the coacting stencil cylinder and impression roller, instead of pushing the sheet as in the conventional manner, whereby sheet buckling is avoided and the sheet is fed evenly to the cylinder without wrinkles or folds appearing therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a paper feed of this kind including a reciprocable shaft portion and a roller, with a oneway clutch therebetween, so that on the forward or feed stroke of the shaft portion, the roller is non-rotative with respect to the shaft so as to grip the topmost sheet for its feeding movement, the roller in the return stroke of the shaft portion rolling back on the stack, into its starting position without in any way affecting the position of the next sheet to be fed.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an improved guide structure for the pile or stack of sheets so that said sheets are held at the edges thereof against a feeding of more than one sheet at a time.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, together with the several advantages thereof, will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a duplicating machine, embodying the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation on an enlarged scale of the feed roll appearing in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the feed roll as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of a number of guide blocks embodied in the duplicating machine and which will be more fully referred to later.

In general, the improved machine includes the usual side frames, between one end of which is a bed plate for supporting a stack of the paper 5 sheets to be fed to the stencil cylinder and its coacting impression roll, both suitably mounted on shafts journalled in the other end of the side frames. On the bed plate are guide blocks having friction facings for engagement with the" edges of the sheets in the stack.

The shaft for the cylinder extends beyond the associated side frames and one end may carry a crank handle for manually rotating the cylinder. The other end of the shaft carries a crank arm pivotally connected to a clamping block in which 10 one end of a feed roll actuator rod may be adjustably engaged. The other end of said rod is bent at a right angle to form a shaft extension that receives a friction faced, gripping roller for engagement upon the topmost sheet in the stack. 15 A one-way clutch is provided between the roller and shaft extension. 1 v

In the rotation of. the cylinder, the rod is reciprocated back and forth. In the forward movement of said rod, the roller is locked to the shaft and grips the topmost sheet and pulls it forwardly to feed said sheet between the cylinder and the impression roll. In the backward or return movement of the red, the roller turns idly on its shaft to roll on the now topmost sheet and so 5 soon as the rod movement is reversed, said roll again operates to grip said topmost sheet for the next feeding operation.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying 3O drawing, the duplicating machine includes a pair of laterally spaced, upright side frame members 55, only one of whichappears in Fig. 1. Between-one end of said frame members is a horizontal bed plate 6 for supporting a stack of paper sheets 1. At one end and at both sides of the bed plate are guide blocks 8 for engaging the end andside edges of the stack of paper sheets '8. Each guide block as best shown in Fig. 4, includes a friction facing 9 for engagement with the edges 40 of the sheets in the stack. Said guide blocks are adjustable longitudinally and laterally of the bed plate to accommodate paper sheets of different sizes. Each guide receives an upstanding screw it! operating in an associated slot H in the bed 45 plate, the head of each screw engaging bottom portions of the bed plate on each side of the slot. The top end of each screw receives a thumb nut l 2, which when tightened up securely clamps the guide block in place on the bed plate. 50

I3 indicates a cylinder, such for example as a stencil carrying cylinder, and I4 indicates the associated impression roller arranged below the same to peripherally engage the bottom of the cylinder. Said cylinder and said roller may be of the conventional form. The cylinder I3 is mounted on a transverse shaft l5 journalled at its ends, in any suitable manner, in the side frame members 5, said members being there made of a greater height for this purpose. The impression roller I4 is mounted on a shaft It also journalled in the side frame members 5, at an elevation above that of the bed plate. That end of the bed plate adjacent the roller I4 is inclined upwardly as at IT to direct the sheet being fed, into engagement with the cylinder and impression roller.

Suitably supported by said side frame members, on that side of the vertical plane of the shafts l5 and I6, opposite the bed plate, is a stripper plate [8, for stripping the fed sheet from the cylinder should it tend to adhere thereto.

The cylinder may be rotated in any suitable manner and in this instance is shown as manually rotated by means of a crank handle l9 fixed to the far end of the shaft 15 as appears in Fig. 1. By means of this handle, the cylinder is turned clockwise as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

Secured to the other or near end of the shaft l5 outside the associated side frame member, is a crank arm 20. This crank arm has a clamping block 2| pivoted thereto as by the pin or bolt 22. One end of a feed roll actuator rod 23 extends through the clamp block and may be secured in the adjusted position thereon by means of a set screw 24. The actuator rod extends parallel with the associated side frame member. Its other end is bent laterally to form a shaft portion 25 (see Fig. 3) which extends transversely of the sheets of paper in the stack 1. The shaft portion 25 has an extension 26 of reduced diameter, and upon said extension is journalled a sleeve 21 having an outside diameter substantially the same as that of the shaft portion 25. A collar 28 is fixed on the extremity of the extension to hold it against endwise displacement.

A ratchet wheel 29 is secured to the opposite end of the sleeve 21, near the shaft portion 25. An arm 30 is fixed to the shaft portion 25, on one side of the ratchet wheel and a second and coacting arm 3| is journalled on the sleeve 21 on the other side of said ratchet wheel. The: outer ends of said two arms are connected by a cross pin 32 and upon said pin is journalled a pawl 33 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 25. A spring 34 connected at its ends to the arm 30 and pawl 33, respectively, acts to normally hold the pawl in engagement with theratchet wheel.

A roller 35 is fixed on the sleeve 21 between the collar 28 and arm 3| and this roller is provided with a peripheral friction facing 36. This facing as shown herein is a rubber covering or sleeve.

In the operation of the parts described, it will be apparent that when the cylinder I3 is being rotated, the arm 20 will rotate therewith and through the block 2| will cause a reciprocating movement of the rod 23. As this rod moves rearwardly it will push the roller rearwardly, at which time the roller will roll with its periphery in engagement with the top sheet of the stack to the end of the throw of the arm 20.

After the arm 20 in its rotation with the cylinder l3, has passed throughthe plane of the rod 23, the rod moves forwardly and the pawl then acts to lock the roller 35 to the shaft extension 26. The roller will then frictionally engage the top sheet of paper in the stack and will pull it in toward the impression roll I4. In this movement of the sheet of paper, its advancing end engages the inclined portion ll of the bed plate and is directed thereby into positive engagement between the cylinder and impression roller. In this feeding movement of the top sheet of paper from the stack, the side guides 8, so engage the edges of the sheets remaining in the stack as to hold them in place against movement along with the top sheet being fed.

In the feeding movement of the roller, its weight along with that of the length of the rod 23 between the block 2| and roller 35, is sufficient to prevent slipping of the non-rotating roller in its feeding stroke. This non-slipping action of the roller may be adjusted by adjusting the effective length of the rod. This adjustment is afforded by the screw 24. Therefore, the feed mechanism may be adjusted for the feeding of different thicknesses of paper to be fed.

It is apparent that the pawl and ratchet wheel mechanism described, provides a one-way clutch between the roller 35 and its actuating rod 23. Thus on the feeding stroke, the roller remains non-rotative and on the back or return stroke the roller turns on its shaft extension to roll on that sheet of paper now topmost of the stack and which is the next one to be fed to the cylinder and impression roll. Thus a new part of the feed roller is presented to the top sheet of the stack at each feeding movement thereof so that the wear on the roller is even all around its periphery and no flat spots can develop to interfere with the proper feeding action of the roller.

The feed mechanism is, therefore, durable and efficient; is positive in its action and may be adjusted for use in connection with paper of different thicknesses.

While in describing the invention, I have re ferred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts thereof, the same is to be considered only in its illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a duplicating machine, a sheet feeding mechanism including a reciprocable rod, a right angle shaft portion carried by one end of said rod, a sleeve journalled on said shaft portion, a friction-faced roller fixed on said sleeve and a one-way clutch including parts operatively engaged upon said sleeve and shaft portion respectively.

2. In a duplicating machine, a sheet feeding mechanism including a reciprocable rod, a right angle shaft portion carried by one end of said rod, a sleeve journalled on said shaft portion, a friction-faced roller fixed on said sleeve, a ratchet \wheel secured to one end of said sleeve, an arm fixed to said shaft portion, and a pawl pivotally connected to said arm and operatively engaged with the ratchet wheel.

3. In a duplicating machine, a sheet feeding mechanism including a reciprocable rod, a right angle shaft portion carried by one end of said rod, a sleeve journalled on said shaft portion, a friction-faced roller fixed on said sleeve, a pair of laterally spaced arms, one fixed to said shaft portion and the other loose on said sleeve portion, a ratchet wheel fixed on said sleeve between said arms and a pawl pivotally mounted between said arms and engaged with said ratchet wheel.

4. A duplicating machine embodying therein side frame members. means between said frame tation of the cylinder, a shaft extension onthe other end of said rod and arranged parallel with the cylinder and impression roll shafts, a friction-faced feed roller joumalled on said shaft extension, and means providing a oneway clutch connection between said feed roller and said shaft extension. 7

JOHN DURBAN EDMUNDS. 

